New Zealand Excited to Meet PM’s First Child as Ardern Admitted to Hospital

WELLINGTON—New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was admitted to hospital in Auckland early on Thursday for the birth of her first child.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters was now acting prime minister and would run the country for the next six weeks while Ardern took maternity leave according to a previously published agreement, her office said in a statement.

Ardern, 37, arrived at the country’s largest public hospital at 5:50 a.m. local time with her partner Clarke Gayford, her spokesman said. Auckland Hospital declined to comment.

A view of Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand, where New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was admitted into early on Thursday for the birth of her first child, June 21, 2018. (Reuters/Peter Meecham)

Ardern took office as New Zealand’s third female prime minister last year and said in January that she was expecting a baby with Gayford, a television fishing show presenter.

A sense of excitement was seen around the country on Thursday with many major media outlets posting livefeeds on their websites with rolling coverage and local journalists camped at the hospital.

Just a handful of elected leaders worldwide have given birth while in office, notably Benazir Bhutto, who had her son in 1990 while prime minister of Pakistan.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during a visit to North Shore Hospital on May 18, 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand. The Labour government announced a $3.2bn increase in health spending in yesterday’s budget. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

“This is an exciting time for Jacinda and Clarke and an historic moment for our country,” said James Shaw, the minister of Climate Change and leader of the progressive Green Party, which shares a support agreement with Ardern’s Labour government

It was the first time in the country’s history that a prime minister was pregnant while in office.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to students at the launch of MyBCITO at Green Bay High School on May 24, 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Peters, head of the populist New Zealand First party, had already taken over some of Ardern’s duties, including running cabinet meetings in the capital Wellington while she stayed close to home in Auckland.

“It’s a happy day and on behalf of the coalition government we wish her and Clarke all the very best,” Peters said in an emailed statement.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during a walkabout at the Mystery Creek Fieldays on June 14, 2018 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Ardern has said there would be little disruption during her time off as she would stay in regular contact with Peters and involved in major decisions.

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